1/48 Tamiya Bf-109E-4/7 Trop

by Alan Williamson

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Kit: 1/48 Tamiya Messerschmitt Bf-109E-4/7 Trop Item 61063

Additions: 

  • Cutting Edge Bf-109E/F Desert Eagles CED48216

  • Ultracast Bf-109B-E Seats 48022

Construction

Some time ago I built a Tamiya Bf-109E-4/7 Trop with the Aires detail set,  I wanted to build another without the Aires set. I placed an order with Calum for this kit as well as some others, since I was constructing another Bf-109E Trop, I needed some other markings to finish the 109 in.  I searched the websites like Hannants  http://www.hannants.co.uk/ to find some decals I would like.  Once I found the decals I wanted, I sent Craig at Aeroworks an E-mail to order the decals CED48216 and the Ultracast 109 seat.  I started with assembling the cockpit which was painted in Model Master RLM 66 and finished it off with some dry brushing and  Tamiya's weathering Master set B. With the cockpit assembled and painted, it was  time to place the cockpit and fuselage halves together, minimal putty and wet rubbing was required, to get rid of the seam lines.  I then assembled the wing halves together and glued them in place with the fuselage.  Tamiya has brought the modeller a great straight forward kit to work with.    

picture 03 and 04 shows the cockpit, I used the kit control panel which came up looking good with a little dry brushing. The Ultracast 109 seat adds a nice touch to the cockpit.

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Painting and Finish

I painted the hole kit in Model Master Aluminium, the under surface of the 109 in Model Master RLM 65.  With the top halve of the fuselage and wing painted in Model Master RLM 71, RLM 70 and RLM 02.  The paint scheme on this particular kit caused my faithful airbrush compressor of six years to give up the ghost, however I brought a better one which actually cost less than my old one did.  Once the paint was nearly dry, I grabbed a bit of sticky masking tape and attacked parts of the kit exposing the aluminium paint underneath.  After that, my usual technic was used, airbrushing the entire kit with Humbrol gloss clear ready for the decals.  Once I had placed the decals on, I again airbrushed the kit in gloss clear and got busy using the pastel wash to highlight the panel lines.  The pastel was sealed with another coat of gloss clear, followed up with a matt clear.  All that was left was to add some exhaust stains, dirty up the wheel wells and add some soot around the guns and cannons, which was sealed with matt clear.  I then added the finishing touches such as landing gears and cockpit windows.  This 109 has been assembled to represent Bf-109E-4 Trop of JG 27 Libya 1941.

German Kubelwagen type 82 Africa Corps Item 32503

I brought this kit off Calum some time ago, and thought it would make a good addition to my 109 Trop.  Tamiya has provided a nice little kit which is easy to assemble and has plenty of detail, including the two Luffwaffe pilots. I painted the kit in Model Master RLM 79 using some of the techniques I use on the aircraft.  I used three of the Tamiya Weathering sets to give the Kubelwagen some character.  The Kubelwagan was assembled to represent one used during North African theatre in 1942 with JG 27.

Thanks

  • Steve Bamford

  • Calum for obtaining the kits, Calum can be visited at www.gibstuff.net for a look at what's on offer

  • Craig at Aeroworks for obtaining the decals, seat and paints required to assembling this kit. Drop Craig a E-mail at aeroworks@iprimus.com.au for a list of products available

Alan 

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

  

  

  

Photos and text © by Alan Williamson